This year, The Forgotten International’s Giving Tuesday campaign goes to special education teachers and children in Nagaland, India at the Tabitha Enabling Academy.

In many cultures the children and their families face a great deal of social stigma, and it is often difficult to get qualified support for disabled children. The Tabitha Enabling Academy works to overcome these problems, providing occupational training for the children so they can learn how to better care for themselves, and community outreach in order to improve the interactions between the community and these children. Read more »

Diane Brandenburg has been a Board Member for The Forgotten International since 2009, after she met Tom Nazario at a charity event with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. She was a key capital fundraiser for the Martin Luther King Jr. Library, and spent many years raising funds on the Library Council Board. She also made it possible to build the Children’s Discovery Museum and Gymnasium for the New Children’s Shelter along with her husband in San Jose. She is an active philanthropist and believes in creating a world which allows children to thrive. Read more »

As a former recipient of a Robert F. Kennedy Fellowship shortly after I graduated from law school, I find this video particularly powerful in these days of a very troubling election frenzy and seemingly questionable motives driving the acquisition of power not only here in the United States but around the world. Please take a moment and go back 50 years and revisit the words of Robert F. Kennedy.

Bobba Venkatadri has been a member of TFI’s Board of Directors for the past three years, and brings a unique perspective to the table. Bobba grew up in the village of Unguturu, Andhra Pradesh, India.

He got involved with TFI at a point in time when he was already thinking a great deal about philanthropy and looking forward to how he would give back when he reaches retirement. “I had the opportunity to hear Tom speak at a luncheon when Bobby Kennedy, Jr. Read more »

Bill Alderman has been a litigation and dispute resolution specialist at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP since 1970. He donates a substantial amount of his time to pro-bono legal work, in addition to his long-standing commitment with TFI.

Bill began his work with TFI in 2008 when TFI President Tom Nazario gave a presentation on the work we do at Bill’s law firm. Since then he has been connected both personally and professionally, as Orrick incorporated TFI and obtained tax-exempt status on its behalf. Read more »

The challenges faced by girls in developing nations are many. While we focus our work on the multiplicative effect of education, it is important to recognize that is not the only solution to difficulties girls face.

In 2013, Plan International completed a broad-scale study of girls ages 11-22 in five urban cities in developing countries, published in a study called “Adolescent Girls’ Views on Safety in Cities. Findings from the Because I am a Girl: Urban Programme Study in Cairo, Delhi,Hanoi, Kampala and Lima”. Read more »

Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo, 2012

Reviewed by TFI Program Officer Sarah Edwards

Behind the Beautiful Forevers takes place in the Annawadi settlement near the Mumbai airport. The book beautifully stiches together the stories of the different inhabitants, the struggles they face specifically due to the nature of their livelihoods, the natural challenges of family, love, and life, and the corruption and lies of the local government systems.

Winner of the 2012 National Book Award for Nonfiction, the novel reads almost as a fiction, with intimate dialogues, neighborhood gossip, and rapid-heartbeat tales from scrapes with police by the young boys. Read more »

In much of our work, we talk about the need for examples: of good development, of good educators, of good philanthropists. Having good models help to encourage us to do better at what we do, as well as to lead others towards better work, better giving, or better sharing.

At the Tabitha Enabling Academy in Nagaland, India, there is a different and even more compelling kind of example. The TEA serves disabled children, including those with Down Syndrome, autism, and those who are deaf and unable to speak. Read more »

I’m honored to share an article that was written about me and my founding of TFI:

Thomas A. Nazario came from a modest background. His mother was from Cuba and a seamstress, whilst his father was from Puerto Rico and worked as an auto mechanic. From an early age in New York City, he felt empathy for others who were poor – this was the start of his quest to understand why such a large percentage of people in the world are poverty-stricken. Read more »

All around the US, children are beginning to go back to school, with their new backpacks and freshly sharpened pencils. Teachers are welcoming their new students and introducing the goals of the year.

At a small school in India, three teachers are wondering if they will be able to have that same back to school joy to share with their students. Ms. Thong, Mr. Kilumo, and Ms. Chumbeni teach at the Tabitha Enabling Academy, a school for disabled children in Northeastern India. Read more »

Let’s stay in touch!

Join us next Tuesday, February 20th for a special screening of "Living on a Dollar a Day" at the Colorado Springs World Affairs Council. Our very own Tom Nazario will be there for a Q&A to follow. Don't miss out! We'll see you there!

We are so thrilled to be an Official Selection at the #sedonafilmfestival! What an honor. Come see our film screening February 26 and March 1st! Check out their website for more details. Thank you @sedonafilmfestival. We'll see you soon.......#sedona #arizona #indiefilm #nonprofit #livingonadollaraday #supportindiefilm #filmfestival #photojournalism #love #az #documentary #sopround #thankful ... See MoreSee Less